A
Anonymous
Guest
A bit of a ramble to start with...
As part of our extended rennovation works (slowed down a bit again), we want to add a another storey to a single storey extension on our farmhouse.
The single storey bit was added in the early 1800s and is also rubblestone with 2ft thick walls, until 1990 it was built into a 5ft bank which had a vehicular track running along it. The bank was dug away and retained with a block wall.
The walls of this extension seem to extend about 18" below the current outside ground level, there are no obvious signs of movement but a corner has been rebuilt in the past.
The opinion of two builders (conservationally aware I might add) was that the structure wasn't going anywhere and I should build atop using a lightweight block just to make sure (celcon solid wall blocks come to mind). As the roof line of the new storey would be quite low (with cottage-style dormers), it would mean only about 4ft of additional wall on top of the existing wall plus the pitched roof.
The structural engineer however, was of the opinion that I would have to underpin the existing extension.
My feeling is that underpinning could pontentially cause more movement damage than building atop with aircrete block.
What are your opinions? Also does anybody know of a structural engineer in the South Wales area that knows his onions with old buildings.
Thanks for listening.
Richard.
As part of our extended rennovation works (slowed down a bit again), we want to add a another storey to a single storey extension on our farmhouse.
The single storey bit was added in the early 1800s and is also rubblestone with 2ft thick walls, until 1990 it was built into a 5ft bank which had a vehicular track running along it. The bank was dug away and retained with a block wall.
The walls of this extension seem to extend about 18" below the current outside ground level, there are no obvious signs of movement but a corner has been rebuilt in the past.
The opinion of two builders (conservationally aware I might add) was that the structure wasn't going anywhere and I should build atop using a lightweight block just to make sure (celcon solid wall blocks come to mind). As the roof line of the new storey would be quite low (with cottage-style dormers), it would mean only about 4ft of additional wall on top of the existing wall plus the pitched roof.
The structural engineer however, was of the opinion that I would have to underpin the existing extension.
My feeling is that underpinning could pontentially cause more movement damage than building atop with aircrete block.
What are your opinions? Also does anybody know of a structural engineer in the South Wales area that knows his onions with old buildings.
Thanks for listening.
Richard.
